City Council Notes
 
– By Robin Jovanovich –

Harrison’s Latest Plan
 
At the August 6 meeting, resident Henry King informed the Council that the Village of Harrison now hopes to use the wetland property on the Rye border, not for a ball field, but for a parking lot. It was news to the Council. Mayor Steve Otis said he would speak to Harrison Supervisor/Mayor Joan Walsh.
 
Rye Arts Center Asks for Extended Lease
 
The Council listened to a presentation by representatives of the Rye Arts Center for an extension of their lease. In 1986, the City granted the center a 30-year lease. With eight years remaining on the lease, the Board is asking for a 30-year extension as soon as possible. They are in the process of long-range planning and need “certainty of continuity”. 
The center has seen a steady growth in membership, programs and outreach, said Board President Patti Gaulin, and the building is occupied six days a week. “Fund-raising for building improvements is part of the Board’s ongoing job,” continued Gaulin, “and our ability to raise funds is diminished with an expiring lease.”
Executive Director Peggy Hill added, “The Rye Arts Center opened its doors to the public in 1987 with the promise that it would continue as an educational institution. Year after year, we have brought quality and diverse programs while encouraging maximum participation in the arts.”
The Council thanked the presenters and will review the request.
New Committee to Study Commuter Parking
 
The MTA has suggested that the parking lots owned by Metro-North be redesigned. Mayor Otis appointed Councilmembers Andy Ball, Mack Cunningham and Paula Gamache to serve on a temporary City Council subcommittee to review issues relating to the commuter lots.
 
In the End, No Support For Term Limits 
 
Councilman Joe Sack continued the debate on term limits. He’d proposed them earlier this summer for the Rye Golf Club Commission for which he’s the Council liaison. “Never has a matter benefited more from being tabled,” said Sack who’s received a great deal of feedback on the matter since the July 16 Council meeting “I understand there is a benefit to having historical knowledge but new blood and increased participation are important too.” He reiterated his support for a two-term limit not only for commission and committee members but now also City Council members.
Councilwoman Catherine Parker doesn’t see term limits serving our community well. “We have lots of professionals — architects, engineers, lawyers — volunteering who are giving us their invaluable expertise free of charge. I don’t see that we have an infinite amount of volunteers.”
A believer in the power of the ballot box, Councilman George Pratt said he didn’t think there should be term limits on elected officials. “As to other committees I’m a bit concerned. It’s hard to get qualified, knowledgeable people to serve and do all the hard work.”
He pointed out that two residents in the audience, John and Doug Carey, had provided thousands of hours of service. “I wouldn’t want to hamstring the community. This community benefits to the tune of $2, 3, 4 million a year from volunteer service.”
Councilwoman Gamache originally supported term limits for the Rye Golf Commission, but having learned that there has been sufficient turnover on the commission now feels “they should be given the benefit of the doubt and be left alone.”
The mayor has the ability to remove any member from a board, noted Councilman Ball. “And Steve asks board chairs every year: ‘Is there any deadwood on your board?’” Ball doesn’t think term limits would benefit Rye. “We lack any consensus that there is a problem. Often times, we can’t find people.”
John Carey, who served two terms as mayor but was not elected to a third term, said: “I’d rather get voted out than term-limited out.” As far as term limits for commission and board members, he doesn’t see the need because the Council has a liaison to each and can get input from that person on who’s working or not.
Councilman Cunningham has heard back from residents and had time to do some research. “We’re still struggling to fill positions on the Board of Architectural Review. Even at the committee level, the Board of Ed has a hard time getting people to volunteer. It’s a huge commitment if you’re going to do the right job.”
In previous administrations, said Councilman Sack, the unofficial policy was to start looking for a new member to replace one who’d served 10 years.
“We don’t want to deprive the community if someone wants to serve,” responded Mayor Otis. “Brian Dempsey, for example, has been on the Traffic and Transportation Committee for 11 years; our staff gets so much in free professional help from Brian.
He continued, “We have expanded the base by which people can volunteer. We’ve added new committees and enlarged several including the Recreation Commission. Compared to 20 years ago we have more people serving on committees. Term limits would shortchange us.”
Returning to the original proposal for term limits for Rye Golf Commission members, Mayor Otis reported that, “six of them have been on for less than five years, two or three have been on a long time, but there’s lots of flow.”
In the end, Councilman Sack had no support for term limits on any commission.
 
Those Rocks in the Right-of-Way
 
Having given the Council a report on the illegal rocks and Belgian blocks in the City right-of-way, City Manager Paul Shew asked the Council for direction. He asked: If we wanted to have a compliance program, what makes the most sense. What’s the most efficient way? Ideally, said Shew, the removal process would be phased in, done by a third-party service and include a procedure for disposal.
In the event that property owners don’t remove the rocks, Belgian blocks and even sprinklers in the City right-of-ways, the City needs the legal authority to do the work and charge it back to the residents, said Shew. “Many times the right-of-way isn’t obvious, so we need to be able to mark it off. Some properties would have to be surveyed. This won’t happen overnight. We may want to do the primary routes — Forest Avenue, Manursing Way, Stuyvesant Avenue and many streets in Greenhaven — first.”
First and foremost, we need an educational program disseminated through the schools, the Traffic and Transportation Committee and the local media, said Shew, “to explain to residents why, after many years, we need to make this change.” The rocks pose a significant safety hazard for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers, as the Traffic and Transportation Committee has concluded and reported to the Council.
The Council agreed that an education period was a good idea. Mayor Otis said, “I like to think that most people will do the right thing. I also think that people like things explained before they are asked to do it. If we get the education campaign out this fall, we could review next steps in January or February.”
Councilman Sack argued for a shorter time frame. “We owe it to the people of Rye to take action. Otherwise it’s lip service. Look at the leaf blower ban. We turned people’s lives upside down in a month.” He added, “Once advised it’s dangerous, how much time do people need to let go of their rocks?”
Councilman Pratt was also in favor of expediting the process. He suggested that the City start by removing the rocks on public property,  Manursing Way, for example.
Meanwhile, there are an estimated 10,000 rocks and blocks in the City right-of-way and new ones are cropping up all over town.